COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA: A man from Collier County, Florida was arrested on Friday, August 11 after claiming to be a veterinarian and performing surgery on a pregnant dog. The dog later died of complications, as per NBC Miami.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office revealed through a social media post that the accused Florida man, Osvaldo Sanchez, is a licensed pet groomer but not a licensed veterinarian. He is charged with animal abuse and practicing veterinary medicine without a license.

What did Osvaldo Sanchez do?

Osvaldo Sanchez, 61, practiced in Collier County as a veterinary doctor without any license. On May 18, Sanchez performed surgery on a 6-year-old Chihuahua named Sugar, who later died of complications.

Sugar’s owners were introduced to Osvaldo as a veterinarian. When they realized their 6-pound dog was having difficulty delivering her puppies, the couple decided to consult Osvaldo.

The accused went to their home and performed a cesarean section on Sugar, who gave birth to a stillborn puppy. He performed the surgery in his mobile ambulance and charged $600, said the sheriff’s office.

However, after one week, Sugar became ill from infection and spent some days in a hospital under expert care.

Sugar’s condition deteriorated and she was taken to a 24-hour emergency pet hospital for an ultrasound. There, the experts determined that the incision was closed with a string or thread instead of standard suture material, which might have infected Sugar.

After returning to veterinary care that day, Sugar died later at night, per Tampa Free Press.

Sheriff asks pet owners to be cautious while choosing vets

The sheriff’s office said in a statement, “A doctor at the emergency pet hospital told detectives a C-Section is not an uncommon surgery on pregnant dogs and that had a qualified veterinarian performed the procedure on Sugar she likely would have survived.”

Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk later requested the pet owners to do their research before taking their pets to vets.

Rambosk said, “Pets’ lives are at risk if unlicensed individuals perform surgery, prescribe medication and claim to provide needed care.”

He added, “Such individuals who believe they can operate outside the law will be arrested and held accountable – our dedicated detectives will see to it.”